317 Project: Northside comic book store proves some things are immortal

The 317 Project tells stories of life in all of Indianapolis’ vibrant neighborhoods – 317 words at a time.

The Greeks have Zeus. The Romans, Jupiter.

We have Superman.

“Superheroes,” Tim Reynolds said, “are Americans’ mythology.” They’re legends passed down from one generation of loyal followers to the next. Except tales of American heroes aren’t inscribed in ancient scrolls; our gods reside in glossy panels of comic book pages.

Comic Carnival is a regional myth itself.

The humble comic book shop on the north side of Indianapolis opened in 1975. Its current owner, Reynolds, said he’s certain it's the oldest comic book store in the city. He’d bet it’s the oldest in the Midwest, too.

The store is unassuming, tucked away in a beige strip mall. But it’s far from forgotten. Regulars flock in every Wednesday to collect the latest editions of Marvel comics. Visitors flip through zines drawn by local artists.

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There’s a longstanding community living at Comic Carnival.

For some, that community is bred from nostalgia. Some customers are like Reynolds, who remembers scouring through his grandfather’s "Spiderman" comics before he was old enough to read.

But for many, the community at Comic Carnival exists because of the people who built it.

“When Dan interviewed, he said all he ever wanted to do was work for Comic Carnival,” Reynolds said.

Co-owner Dan Gaines passed away in April. He and Reynolds worked together for more than two decades. Dan’s great loves were classic DC comics, Star Trek and Comic Carnival itself.

Gaines' legacy lives in the shop. There are pictures of his favorite cartoon, Wile E. Coyote, stashed behind counters. One employee’s drawing of him watches over the back room.

It’s been hard for Reynolds to fill Dan’s shoes. He loved the comic community, and it loved him. This spring, a hundred people squished in the store between shelves of books to celebrate his life.

Dan’s obituary explains Comic Carnival’s long, mythic reign:

“Dan tackled his duties with an uncommon tenacity commonly only found in true superheroes.”

Contact the reporter Tory Basile at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 317 Project: Indianapolis comic shop a fixture for superhero fans